Dear Mr. Vice-President,
Dear colleagues of the Thai Senate,
Dear Mr. Ambassador,
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is for me a great pleasure and at the same time a great honor to welcome a delegation from the Senate of the Kingdom of Thailand in Switzerland. We are happy to receive your visit here in Berne, because nothing strengthen more sustainable a relationship than personal acquaintance.
During the last years the mutual exchanges between our two nations have become more and more frequently. Many high ranking Swiss politicians have already visited the Kingdom of Thailand, showing clearly that the importance of Thailand for Switzerland goes far beyond a greatly popular destination for Swiss tourist. Our two countries feel the need to deepen their relationship and to establish regularly political and economical relations.
Helpful to achieve this goal is certainly the fact that your King, Bhumibol Adulyadej, has passed since 1933 several years of his life in Switzerland. He is a real expert of our country and used his stay on the Lake of Geneva also to study at the University of Lausanne.
The Thai community in Switzerland contains nearly ten thousand Thai citizens. They enrich our country not only with their delicious food and their exotic appearances. Moreover, they realized a remarkable performance of integration and assimilation without denying their cultural and religious roots. A wonderful example of this attitude of maintaining own tradition is the Golden Temple of Wat Srinagarindravararam in Gretzenbach (canton Solothurn), which was built with a considerable support of Her Royal Highness the Queen Mother. This Buddhist Center is radiant above the national borders.
Last but not least, let us take the opportunity of today meeting to exchange and learn about the specificities of our two parliamentary systems. I am sure it will be beneficial for both sides.
I finally raise my glass in honor of His Majesty the King of Thailand and of the delegation of the Thai Senate.
Long live the friendship between your Kingdom and our Confederation!